Renting a House
Thanks to his past experiences, Yang Lan had seen many auctioned houses going for prices as low as cabbages. The reason was always the same: someone had died unnaturally in the house.
Yang Lan wasn’t afraid of such things, but he still spent some money to understand the full story.
The situation was better than he imagined. The original owner of the house, a scholar, had indeed died. It was said he offended someone important while in office, leading to his entire family being executed.
This house was innocent, as the deaths occurred in the county office, yet it was labeled as haunted.
Ordinary families might not be affected, but since he was a scholar, anyone with exam aspirations dared not rent the house, fearing bad luck.
Thus, the house remained vacant.
Yang Lan didn’t mind, but he decided to discuss it with his family first.
Zhang Shi and Lin Qiao were hesitant after hearing his explanation.
Yang Lan then carefully analyzed the benefits of the house.
Firstly, it was cheap. Similar-sized courtyards nearby cost one tael of silver per month, while this one was only 800 wen.
Secondly, the location was ideal, situated in the bustling center of South Street, surrounded by various shops, making it convenient for shopping. It was also perfectly located between their rented stall and the Academy, making all destinations easily accessible.
The last point, which Yang Lan valued most, was that the neighbors were ordinary town folks. During his last visit, he noticed the alley was full of life, making it a suitable place for two Ge’er to live.
Yang Lan praised the house to the skies, and seeing his determination, Zhang Shi and Lin Qiao didn’t object further, letting him proceed.
The next day, Yang Lan signed the contract and paid six months’ rent, including a deposit, totaling five taels of silver.
With their savings nearly depleted, Zhang Shi and Lin Qiao were eager to start earning money.
They spent two days moving their belongings to Town. Zhang Shi was particularly reluctant to part with the backyard chickens, which had just started laying eggs after two months.
The two piglets couldn’t be sold, so Yang Lan simply drove them to the pigsty of the neighboring Lin Jiang family, agreeing to share some meat with them during the New Year.
Lin Jiang and his wife happily agreed.
Due to the chicken sale, many villagers learned that they were moving to Town.
On moving day, a crowd gathered to watch. Some were envious, others jealous, but Yang Lan paid them no mind.
Surprisingly, the Yang clan was unusually quiet. Perhaps they were embarrassed by previous events in the village, or they assumed Yang Lan would soon return in defeat. Not a single person came to make snide remarks.
Yang Lan was pleased with this, as he had no desire to deal with them.
The house in Town had been unoccupied for years, and it took Zhang Shi and Lin Qiao three days to clean it. Yang Lan wanted to help, but they insisted he focus on his studies in the makeshift study room.
Once they started the stall, he wouldn’t have much time to study, so he needed to make the most of it now.
Of course, the first thing he did at the desk was transcribe the recipe book from his stored system.
To avoid complications, Yang Lan used his own handwriting, which was more rounded and delicate compared to the original owner’s.
After spending an afternoon copying the recipe book, he found an excuse to go out the next day, staying out for several hours. When he returned, he brought back the book, claiming it was a gift from Old Master Wu.
Zhang Shi and Lin Qiao didn’t suspect a thing and excitedly ran to the kitchen to experiment with the dishes they planned to sell in a few days.
The recipes were simple, things anyone could make at home in modern times. Yang Lan watched them cook and, seeing they were doing well, felt reassured and returned to his study.
That evening, their dinner consisted of cold noodles, pancakes, and egg crepes.
Aside from a few oddly shaped pieces at first, the taste was excellent, instantly reminding Yang Lan of home, and he ended up overeating.
The three of them lounged in their chairs, feeling content.
Lin Qiao asked, “Husband, when will Uncle Qi finish the cart?”
Yang Lan calculated the days and replied, “Probably tomorrow.”
Hearing this, Lin Qiao beamed and jumped up, “I need to make a few more side dishes to put in the pancakes. They’ll taste even better.”
Zhang Shi followed him out.
Yang Lan chuckled helplessly and resignedly cleaned up the table and floor.
The next day, Qi Liangshan indeed arrived with the cart.
Yang Lan opened the door, pleasantly surprised, “Uncle Qi, why did you bring it yourself? You could have told me, and I would have picked it up.”
Qi Liangshan laughed, “This cart is really something. Several people asked me how it was made on the way here.” Since his family had fled disaster, he hadn’t received such admiration in a long time, and his face was beaming.
Yang Lan helped him push the cart into the yard, saying, “If anyone wants to buy the same cart from you, go ahead and make it, Uncle Qi. But you should charge at least half a tael more than mine.”
Qi Liangshan quickly shook his head, “I can’t do that. This cart was your idea. How can I profit from it?”
Yang Lan replied, “Then let’s share the profits. We can’t just give the money away.”
Qi Liangshan thought it over and agreed.
Meanwhile, Lin Qiao took An Ge’er to the kitchen, offering him the leftover cold noodles and pancakes from the morning.
Lin Qiao, with wide eyes and a mouth full of food, sat obediently on the stool, his cheeks puffed out like a little hamster.
If only we could have such an adorable child with Husband in the future, Lin Qiao thought silently.